Sales Drive

Over the past 10 years, consumer technology has changed beyond recognition. You only need to look in any public place at the number of people concentrating on a smartphone or tablet.

One area that has lagged somewhat behind until now is the automotive industry. Things are changing now though, and rapidly. A recent piece of research has identiﬁed a few key areas which are about to burst on to our driveways.

Electriﬁcation – Tesla has led the way on electric vehicles and has now been followed by major manufacturers offering either hybrid or all electric vehicles. The global need to reduce greenhouse gases will make electric motoring the norm within 15 years industry leaders predict. The technology which is holding this back currently is battery life and this is quick being upgraded.

Connectivity – staying connected whether for work or leisure is becoming a must for many drivers. A recent Autotrader study found that gadgets and technology are now more important than colour to most buyers.

Autonomous driving – being led by global giants such as Google and companies such as Uber, it has been predicted that once technological and regulatory issues are resolved, up to 15 percent of new vehicles could be autonomous within 15 years.

So what does this mean for our market? It’s simple! Manufacturers, accessory ﬁrms, and those associated with motoring will want to accessorise the new smart motorist with products to promote their brand and logo in and around the new smart car.